The wooden wagon shook heavily on the uneven dirt road, surrounded by vast green terrains was calming, but even after three days, Damian still couldn't get used to the rigid bumps. His -Scan- ability went up by two Levels after using it many times thanks to boredom and the three Elven guards, who kept him company with their silence and a glance every so often. Folen would've made a far more convenient fellowship on the road, but he is forbidden from doing so due to Leena's orders.

Three days ago. Damian waited outside the office after being asked... Ordered by Leena, Folen followed shortly, holding a scroll in his hand. "tomorrow, you will be on your way to the other facility, but I'm afraid I won't be joining you," Folen said, as he started walking which Damian swiftly followed.

The atmosphere was awkward on the way as Folen didn't utter a word the whole time, till they both reached Damian's cell and the elf was about to leave. The Boy was concerned that the only person he considered a friend felt betrayed and deceived. As Damian entered his confinement, he immediately turned around, facing down with guilt apparent on his face "mister Folen I'm sorry I didn't speak to you when I had many chances to do so. To tell the truth, I didn't know where to begin," Damian spoke, causing Folen to stop in his tracks.

Folen took a deep breath before facing Damian. "I know you must have your reason's not to trust us, Damian. I don't blame you. But I'm still trying to understand what you had to go through. Plucked from your home only to find yourself in a different place the next day," Folen stated as he looked Damian with a mixture of sorrow and confusion in his eyes. "but I'm afraid I wouldn't be of much help to you anymore. Commander Leena might have extreme ways of dealing with things, but she means well, but the place you will be taken to will not treat you kindly, so the only advice I can give you is. Do your best to survive there no matter what.

You have entered -Shatteredbone-

Damian was brought back to reality by a firm halt from the wagon, followed by a blue screen popping up, almost causing him to fall on his back. As Damian jumped out of the torture device on wheels, almost falling thanks to the cuffs hugging his wrists, he noticed two other means of transportation lined up next to his. Four other elves varying in both size and age exited from the remaining wagons, excluding the guards.

But what towered over them all was a colosseum-like building, four stories high and 170 meters in length. The soil around it dried. Somehow it reeked of death, unlike the green long green grass swaying on the way here.

"Alright, all of you bunch of worthless scum, form a line here," one guard waved in front of two tall wooden doors forming a ten meters tall gate enforced with metal bars around it. Damian stood in line with the other four forming a straight line as the guards surrounded them. Suddenly the gate roared as it split open, welcoming the visitors with a long broad and long corridor.

Two silhouettes stood at the entrance. One figure was bold and tall with tanned bulging muscles that were obvious even when clad in black armor. The second was slim with skin pale as a corpse, and narrow eyes that appear as if they were closed, with dark brown wavy hair barely tapping his shoulder, wearing a formal dark red uniform, and a coat that swayed behind as he roamed towards them theatrically, dressed in a big curling smile on his face.

Name / Level Sargon - Level ??? Title Crimson Warden Name / Level Zol - ??? Title Zol the Butcher

"Greetings, my new guests, and welcome to your new resident." the slender elf said as he stood, making sure they were all in his view while the big guard occupied himself with taking some papers from the other guards. "Oh dear me, where are my manners.. my name Sargon and I will be your warden for the remainder of your stay here" as soon as one of the elves lining up heard his name, his body shivered and started sweating bullets. "S-S-Sargon...I'M NOT GOING IN THERE!!!" Then he started running towards the carriages that brought them like a mad man.

"Oh dear, I think we have a runner. Zol, take care of it," Sargon issued with a delighted tone, while Zol casually pulled a hunting knife and skillfully threw it, only for it to shriek as it cut through the air and planted itself in the back of the fleeing elf's neck. With the remaining strength, he only managed two more before collapsing like a rag doll in front of one of the wagons. "pity.. (Clap) well, now that we got that cleared, let's have a good look at the rest of the group" Sargon says as he claps his hands and resumes examining the others.

"-What's wrong with this guy? How can he feel so at ease with killing his own kind?-" Damian thought to himself as he was slightly infuriated but did his best to hide it. Sargon walks with his hands resting behind his back, as he pays attention to each one of the prisoners,"-and why would that guy just run away is this Sargon guy that dangerous?... No, there's something more to it-"Damian pondered. Sargon suddenly halts when he sets his eyes on Damian.

1 WIS gained.

"Oh? What's this? We have a human youngster amongst the others," Sargon grins as he circles the boy, paying particular attention to him? Damian's body tenses, avoiding eye contact. "-I'm not strong enough to deal with him yet. Better not get on his bad side.-" the boy thought, hoping he won't get killed right off the bat. "well, it doesn't matter till we test him later" Sargon finally disregards Damian and starts heading to the gates. "Now, bring them inside. I do have other issues I need to attend to." As Damian's foot stepped through the gate, a screen popped up, forcing a smile on his face.

You have a new quest.

Survive and leave the Shatteredbone prison.

Rewards

2000 EXP.

5 Gold coins.

Metal collars were placed on the newcomers while the cuffs were replaced with metal ones with inscriptions, but no chains as they walked through stone corridors lit by wall torches. Cells filled other inmates, taunting and cursing at the fresh meat that cruised in the halls while they were being separated, each into a cell, "-this prison is not much different from the ones we have at home... it's survival of the fittest either you're on the top of the food chain or under it. There's no middle ground here if I want to stay in one piece, I have to be stronger and untouchable.-"

When Damian entered his confinement, the metal door closed behind him. The door had a barred window slightly at the top, and another at its bottom. Damian found himself in a room similar to his previous cell. But instead of the pile of hay, two beds were hanging on top of each other from the stone wall facing him, and there was a man with short spiky black hair and a body that is a mixture of muscle and fat... mostly fat, sitting on the lower bed. He stood casually when the locks of the door clicked, approaching Damian slowly with a smile full of holes "-Scan-" Damian whispered as soon as his eyes were fixed on the fat man.

Name / Level Shoa rin / Level 9 Title Fat Sho Stats Health 95/95 Stamina 62/62 Strength Endurance Intellect Wisdom 9 5 13 10 Agility Perception Willpower Luck 5 12 8 6

"-perfect-" Damian whispered with a well-hidden smile as the gap between them got closer. "Look what we got here, fresh meat, and it's human too. Now listen here, and listen well. My name is Mister Shoa, and everything here in this cell belongs to me, and since you are in my cell, this means you belong to me as well. Is that clear, or do I have to be rough with you because I like being rough" the fat man finished his speech by tugging onto Damian's shirt with his right hand.

"-disgusting. I guess these are the rules with inmates. Someone has to be the alpha-" Damian's eyes darkened. He grabbed Shoa's right wrist with his left hand and twisted it counterclockwise, then pushed the fat man to the wall on his right, making sure to squeeze enough to hurt but not to break. Suddenly Shoa found himself face to the wall and not able to escape the hold of a small boy. "ow ow aagh ouch!" he squealed in pain.

"Well, since you like it rough, this makes it much easier. Let's get a few things straight, I belong to no one, and I hate bullies, AND if I wanted to use anything in this room, I WILL use it, and I am gonna be taking the top bed since you're already using the other one. Do I make myself clear, or do you want me to be a little bit rougher?" Damian said as he tilted his head, making sure Shoa could see his menacing eyes glaring over the fat elf's eyes. "C-C-CLEAR, OUCH am s-sorry clear," Shoa stuttered as sweat started pouring from every inch of his body.

You have learned the ability -Terror Gaze-. 1 INT Gained. Notice

Your profile will be updated shortly.

This will take 3 hours of forced hibernation to complete.

To initiate the update, speak the word (Update) when ready.

Damian blinked twice at the floating windows before releasing shoa's arm, watching him scurry to his bed, looking at his wrist as he started massaging it. For a moment, Damian pitied the elf and worried that he went too far, but shrugged it off since dominance is a must in prison. "Now for the important things, What is this place?" Damian asked. Shoa rubbed his aching wrist as he responded, "what are you an idio-" when he looked back at the boy who was staring him down, Shoa quickly rephrased his answer.

"I-I mean this place is the Shatteredbone prison," the elf replied, "and what can you tell me about this prison?" Damian asked quickly, hoping for information he doesn't have. "well, mister er.." Shoa hesitantly asked. "Damian," the boy replied right after he sighed, showing he's running out of patience.

" Mister Damian, you see, the guards in this prison have more authority than other prisons. They can go as far as kill you if they felt like it, but that rule only applies to rankless and bronze prisoners though they need a good excuse to kill the bronze." Damian's raised an eyebrow as he heard Shoa explain. "What are rankless and bronze?" the boy asked, and Shoa grew suspicious from his question. "Pardon my rudeness Mister Damian but where did you say you were from?" the elf asked after gathering some courage.

"The woods.. and it's just Damian." the boy answered after some thought before crossing his arms and staring back at Shoa. "Aha, it makes sense. Since you lived in the woods, it means you don't get enough contact with the outer world-" as he noticed that Damian was staring him down again, "oh yes, so we start from the bronze..." he resumed his explanation. After a long Q&A session, Damian summed everything he learns about ranks as so:

Rank Pros Cons rank up Diamond private guard Can be challenged by Gold none Gold Private room Can be challenged by Silver+ defeat diamond Silver increased portions of meals Can be challenged by Bronze+ Gold or five silver Bronze none semi-disposable silver or ten bronze Rankless none disposable defeat bronze or test

"So in other words, Diamonds are untouchable," Shoa finished. "-Untouchable-" Damian, on the other hand, saw this as an opportunity to get stronger. Sure, if it backfired, there won't be any coming back... unless he had the ability to respawn after he dies. That's a risk he's not willing to take. "what is the test, and how can I get tested?" for a moment, Shoa thought this boy was crazy and just asking to get killed. But after some thought, if the little brat dies, then he won't have to worry about getting his cell taken over. Helping him get tested is a good way to do it.

"Oh yes, the test is pretty simple. You just have to kill a few small monsters and don't worry about how to get tested. The guards will take care of that in no time. do you need any help with the bed then?" Shoa said as his palms rubbed together with glee. Damian wanted to see what this update holds but using it right away might be dangerous since it forces him to be vulnerable for a long time. Better wait till after the test. Damian climbed to his side of the bed then looked at Shoa. "Don't disturb me unless it's important, got it?" the boy said without waiting for a response from his cellmate and opened his inventory.

Inventory Blood seeker Karma's echo Kasron's Diary White rabbit horn Rusty dagger Goblin ax Filthy boots Health Potion x7 .... Mana Potion x3 Goblin Bone x5 (Next page)

"-There's more!!?.. wait, this reminds me- Damian pulls Kasron's Diary from his Inventory and starts reading its contents. He instantly understood that he wouldn't be able to read it, but if he kept trying to, he should gain the ability to help him learn another language. Plus.. this book might help him understand more about this world he is in and might also show him a way out.

You have learned (1.5%) -Elven language (written)-.

"-Nice!!-" Damian thought with excitement. Learning any language should be a walk in the park for him, be it spoken or written. He already figured that there might be other races that speak different languages, so this is a must. Damian kept reading and putting his full attention on understanding every word and letter written in the diary, and to his surprise, after thirty minutes of gazing at the pages, his effort paid off sooner than he expected.

You have learned (100%) -Elven language (written)-. 3INT Gained. 3WIS Gained. You have learned -Mana sense-. You have learned -Meditate-.

"-whoa, this is going to be interesting. I might learn some magi..-" The steel door opened, and a guard pointed at Damian from outside his cell. "You.. human time for your test, move it" the boy wanted to enjoy his newfound ability more, but it has to wait after walking through a labyrinth of corridors and given a somewhat rusty sword. Damian found himself in a large rectangular room decorated with sand underneath, torchlights on the walls, and steel bars as a roof, which fared poorly in covering the moonlight or the wind caressing the boy's cheeks. Though a couple of guards strolled on top of the cage, circling like vultures.

A thick steel door on the opposite side of the arena, just like the door Damian came out from, creaked as it opened, and a figure found its way from the darkness to the cocktail of the flames and moonlight. It stood slightly taller than Damian, dark-green skin, eyes as yellow as gold, two lines of sharp teeth, and wearing nothing but rags on his waist. "I really hate those guys," Damian stated as he sighed in discomfort.

Name / Level Hubo / Lvl 12 Title Test subject 741 Health 137/137 Stamina 118/118

Damian was intrigued by its title, but it soon faded as the overgrown goblin brandished a wooden club covered with spikes in its right arm and rushed at the boy with no intention of hiding its hostility towards him, holding the club up aiming to smash his head into the ground. Damian used -Focus- as soon as it ran towards him and then avoided the attack by quickly circling to its left side and striking horizontally to cut its head clean out of the body... Easy win.

But by the time Damian countered with a swing, the club was already blocking its path. "What the!!?" the boy jumped back. "-it might be a fluke I need to try it again..-" he was stopped in his tracks. when the goblin swiftly jumped after him placing its left hand right in front of his face. For a second, Damian thought it was trying to block his view, that was till he saw a tattoo on its palm. A circle with a triangle aiming downwards inside it and many strange letters scribbled between the triangle and the circle. It reminded Damian of the tattoo he had on his chest. Could it be that this goblin has the same ability as him?

The tattoo started gaining color and heat, as if a dormant amber coming back to life, shining and burning till it illuminated the light of the torches, and suddenly.

-80 HP